Cross-Platform App Development
Build high-performance iOS and Android apps from a single codebase with React Native and Flutter. Reach both platforms faster and more cost-effectively while maintaining native-quality experiences.
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What to Expect in Cross-Platform App Development
Our cross-platform app development services deliver native-quality iOS and Android applications from a single codebase using React Native and Flutter. Whether you're launching an MVP, scaling a startup, or building enterprise mobile solutions, our cross-platform approach reduces development time and costs while maintaining excellent performance and user experience across both platforms.
Single Codebase, Dual Platforms
Write your app once and deploy to both iOS and Android simultaneously. Our cross-platform development with React Native or Flutter achieves 90%+ code reuse, dramatically reducing development time and maintenance overhead compared to building separate native apps for each platform.
React Native & Flutter Expertise
We specialize in both leading cross-platform frameworks. React Native leverages JavaScript and React for teams with web development experience, while Flutter uses Dart for exceptional performance and beautiful custom UI. We recommend the right framework based on your team, timeline, and technical requirements.
Native-Quality Performance
Modern cross-platform frameworks deliver 95%+ of native performance for most applications. Users cannot tell the difference between cross-platform and native apps. Our optimization techniques ensure fast load times, smooth animations, and responsive interactions that meet user expectations on both platforms.
Platform-Specific Customization
While sharing most code, we implement platform-specific design patterns where needed. iOS apps follow Human Interface Guidelines with native navigation, while Android apps use Material Design components, ensuring each platform feels native while maximizing code reuse for efficiency.
Faster Time to Market
Launch on both iOS and Android simultaneously instead of building sequentially. Cross-platform development reduces time to market by 30-40% compared to separate native apps, letting you validate your product, gather user feedback, and iterate faster across both platforms.
Simplified Maintenance & Updates
Deploy updates, bug fixes, and new features to both platforms from a single codebase. Maintaining one cross-platform app is significantly easier and more cost-effective than managing two separate native codebases with different languages, tools, and development processes.
How We Build Cross-Platform App Development Solutions
As a software development company with extensive mobile expertise, we combine React Native and Flutter proficiency with platform-enabled collaboration to deliver high-quality cross-platform applications. Our Software Engineering Orchestration Platform (SEOP) connects you with specialized cross-platform developers from our 10,000+ vetted talent pool, providing real-time visibility and transparent pricing throughout your project.
Framework Selection & Architecture
We help you choose the right cross-platform framework based on your team's skills, project requirements, performance needs, and long-term maintenance strategy.
React Native (JavaScript/TypeScript):
- Best for teams with React or JavaScript experience
- Massive ecosystem with extensive third-party libraries
- Platform-native UI components for authentic feel
- Backed by Meta (Facebook) with proven track record
- Hot reload for rapid development iteration
- Popular apps: Facebook, Instagram, Discord, Shopify, Microsoft Teams
Flutter (Dart):
- Superior performance with compiled native code
- Beautiful custom UI with consistent cross-platform look
- Excellent for complex animations and custom designs
- Backed by Google with strong momentum
- Hot reload and comprehensive widget library
- Popular apps: Google Pay, Alibaba, BMW, eBay, Nubank
Architecture Best Practices:
- Clean architecture with separation of concerns
- State management (Redux, MobX for React Native; Provider, Bloc for Flutter)
- Modular codebase for maintainability and testability
- Platform-specific modules when native features required
- Efficient navigation and routing strategies
- Offline-first architecture with local data persistence
Development Process & Quality Assurance
Our agile cross-platform development process ensures consistent quality across both iOS and Android with comprehensive testing and optimization.
Unified Development Workflow:
- Two-week sprints with builds for both iOS and Android
- Shared component library for consistency
- Platform-specific testing on real devices
- Performance profiling across both platforms
- Memory leak detection and optimization
- Battery usage optimization for mobile efficiency
Comprehensive Testing Strategy:
- Automated testing with Jest (React Native) or Flutter test framework
- UI testing across iOS and Android simulators
- Physical device testing on popular models
- Platform-specific edge case validation
- Performance benchmarking against native apps
- Accessibility testing for both platforms
CI/CD Pipeline:
- Automated builds triggered on every commit
- Continuous integration with GitHub Actions or Bitbucket
- Automated test suites running for each platform
- Code quality analysis and linting
- Staged deployment to TestFlight and Google Play
- Over-the-air updates for rapid iteration (where applicable)
Platform Optimization & Native Integration
We optimize cross-platform apps for each platform while maintaining code sharing efficiency, ensuring users get native experiences.
Platform-Specific Polish:
- iOS design following Human Interface Guidelines
- Android design following Material Design principles
- Native navigation patterns per platform
- Platform-appropriate animations and transitions
- Proper status bar and safe area handling
- Platform-specific icons and assets
Native Module Integration:
- Custom native modules when cross-platform limitations exist
- Bridge to native code for performance-critical features
- Device feature access (camera, GPS, sensors, biometrics)
- Third-party SDK integration (payments, analytics, push notifications)
- Platform-specific APIs (Apple Pay, Google Pay, HealthKit, etc.)
- Background processing and notifications
Performance Optimization:
- Bundle size optimization and code splitting
- Image optimization and lazy loading
- API request batching and caching
- List virtualization for large datasets
- Animation performance tuning (60fps target)
- Startup time optimization (sub-2-second cold start)
Cross-Platform App Development Process
Our structured cross-platform development process delivers high-quality iOS and Android applications efficiently, with continuous testing and optimization for both platforms throughout the project.
Discovery & Framework Selection (1-2 weeks)
We begin by understanding your business goals, target users, technical requirements, and team capabilities to recommend the optimal cross-platform framework (React Native or Flutter) for your project.
Key Activities:
- Business requirements and user story gathering
- Target audience analysis and platform priorities (iOS vs Android usage)
- Technical requirements and performance needs assessment
- Team skills evaluation (JavaScript vs Dart experience)
- Framework recommendation with rationale (React Native vs Flutter)
- Architecture planning (state management, navigation, API integration)
- Timeline and resource estimation for both platforms
Deliverable: Project scope document, framework recommendation, technical architecture, and development roadmap
Design & Prototyping (2-3 weeks)
Our designers create cross-platform UI/UX that works beautifully on both iOS and Android while respecting platform-specific design conventions where it matters for user experience.
Key Activities:
- Wireframing with cross-platform considerations
- High-fidelity UI design in Figma
- Platform-specific design variations (iOS vs Android navigation)
- Interactive prototype for both platforms
- Design system creation with shared components
- Responsive layout design for different screen sizes
- Design review and iteration with stakeholder feedback
Deliverable: Complete design specifications, interactive prototypes for iOS and Android, design system documentation
Cross-Platform Development (6-12 weeks)
Our React Native or Flutter developers build your application with a shared codebase, implementing platform-specific customizations where needed while maximizing code reuse efficiency.
Key Activities:
- Core feature development with shared components
- Platform-specific UI implementation (iOS and Android)
- Backend API integration and state management
- Third-party SDK integration (analytics, payments, push notifications)
- Offline functionality and local data storage
- Platform-specific testing on iOS simulators and Android emulators
- Bi-weekly builds delivered to TestFlight and Google Play internal testing
Deliverable: Fully functional cross-platform app running on both iOS and Android with all features implemented
Testing & Optimization (2-3 weeks)
Comprehensive QA testing across iOS and Android devices, versions, and screen sizes ensures your cross-platform app performs excellently on both platforms with consistent user experience.
Key Activities:
- Automated testing (unit tests, integration tests, UI tests)
- Manual testing on physical iOS devices (iPhone, iPad)
- Manual testing on physical Android devices (Samsung, Google Pixel, etc.)
- iOS version compatibility testing (iOS 14+)
- Android version compatibility testing (Android 10+)
- Performance profiling and optimization for both platforms
- Accessibility testing (VoiceOver on iOS, TalkBack on Android)
Deliverable: QA report with platform-specific findings, performance optimization, and launch readiness confirmation
Dual Platform Submission (1-2 weeks)
We handle simultaneous submission to both Apple App Store and Google Play Store, managing all technical requirements, assets, and compliance for both platforms concurrently.
Key Activities:
- App Store Connect and Google Play Console setup
- Platform-specific metadata and screenshots creation
- Privacy policies and data handling documentation
- iOS provisioning and certificates configuration
- Android app signing and release preparation
- Staged rollout configuration for both platforms
- App Store and Google Play submission with review monitoring
Deliverable: Published apps live on both Apple App Store and Google Play Store
Launch & Continuous Improvement (Ongoing)
Post-launch, we monitor performance across both platforms, analyze user behavior, gather feedback, and deploy updates to iOS and Android simultaneously from the shared codebase.
Key Activities:
- Cross-platform analytics monitoring (iOS and Android metrics)
- Crash reporting and error tracking for both platforms
- User feedback analysis from App Store and Google Play reviews
- A/B testing for feature optimization
- Performance monitoring and optimization
- OS compatibility updates (annual iOS and Android releases)
- Feature enhancements deployed to both platforms simultaneously
Deliverable: Ongoing updates, maintenance, and feature development for both platforms
Cross-Platform Development Technologies
We leverage modern cross-platform frameworks and supporting technologies to build high-performance mobile applications that work seamlessly on iOS and Android.
React Native developers
Javascript developers
Typescript developers
Node.js developers
When to Choose Cross-Platform App Development
Choose Cross-Platform Development When:
- You want to reach both iOS and Android users without building two separate apps—maximizing market reach with minimal budget
- Budget constraints require 30-40% cost savings compared to building native iOS and Android apps separately
- Speed to market is critical and you need to launch on both platforms simultaneously instead of sequentially
- Your app is content-driven, business logic-heavy, or CRUD-based rather than graphics-intensive or device-hardware-dependent
- You have JavaScript/TypeScript developers (React Native) or want modern UI capabilities (Flutter) on your team
- Ongoing maintenance efficiency matters, updating one codebase is easier than maintaining separate iOS and Android codebases
- You're building an MVP and need fast validation across both platforms before committing to native development
- Your app doesn't require bleeding-edge platform features on day one—cross-platform frameworks adopt new OS features within weeks
Consider These Scrums.com Solutions Instead:
- Need maximum performance for graphics-intensive gaming or AR/VR experiences? iOS App Development or Android App Development with native development
- Targeting premium iOS users exclusively with cutting-edge features like ARKit or Core ML? iOS App Development
- Focusing on Android's global reach in emerging markets with device-specific optimization? Android App Development
- Have existing native apps that need ongoing updates and maintenance? Mobile App Maintenance
What Our Clients Say
Cross-Platform App Development Cost & Pricing
Cross-platform app development costs typically range from $60,000-$200,000, which is 30-40% less than building separate native iOS and Android applications ($100,000-$300,000+). You effectively get both platforms for roughly the cost of one native app. The final cost depends on app complexity, design requirements, custom native modules needed, backend infrastructure, third-party integrations, and ongoing maintenance scope.
At Scrums.com, we provide transparent, usage-based pricing for cross-platform development through our Software Engineering Orchestration Platform (SEOP). You only pay for the React Native or Flutter developers, designers, and QA engineers you need each month, no hidden fees, no vendor lock-in. As a software development company with global talent access and cross-platform expertise, we deliver enterprise-quality mobile apps for both platforms at 40-60% lower costs than traditional US-based agencies. Factors that influence android app development costs include...
App Complexity & Feature Scope
Simple cross-platform apps with basic CRUD operations, standard UI components, and straightforward navigation cost less than complex applications requiring custom animations, real-time features, offline synchronization, complex state management, or integration with device hardware (camera, GPS, sensors, Bluetooth). Business logic complexity, number of screens, and data management requirements directly impact development time and costs.
Framework Choice & Customization
React Native projects may require more platform-specific customization due to native component architecture, while Flutter provides more consistent cross-platform UI out-of-the-box. Apps requiring extensive custom UI with complex animations may benefit from Flutter's widget system, while apps needing extensive third-party integrations may leverage React Native's larger ecosystem. Custom native modules for platform-specific features add development effort.
Design Requirements & Platform Variations
Designing for cross-platform efficiency with shared UI components costs less than creating distinct designs for iOS and Android that maximize platform-specific patterns. Balance code reuse efficiency with platform-appropriate experiences—some apps need iOS and Android to feel different (navigation, interactions) while others benefit from consistent branding across platforms.
Backend Infrastructure & API Integration
Cross-platform apps using Firebase, serverless architectures, or simple REST APIs cost less than those requiring custom backend development, complex databases, real-time synchronization, microservices, or extensive business logic. Backend complexity—including authentication, data processing, scalability needs, and API endpoint count—impacts overall project costs regardless of frontend framework choice.
Native Module Development
Most cross-platform functionality works out-of-the-box, but some features require custom native modules written in Swift/Objective-C (iOS) or Kotlin/Java (Android). Custom native code increases development time and reduces the cost benefit of cross-platform development. Evaluate which features truly need native implementation versus leveraging existing cross-platform libraries.
Maintenance & Framework Updates
Cross-platform maintenance includes React Native or Flutter framework updates (major releases annually), OS compatibility updates for both iOS and Android, dependency updates for third-party libraries, bug fixes across platforms, and feature enhancements. Budget 15-20% of initial development cost annually, though maintaining one codebase is significantly cheaper than managing separate iOS and Android codebases.
Cross-Platform App Development Across Industries
Our cross-platform app development services deliver efficient, scalable mobile solutions across diverse industries. By building once and deploying to both iOS and Android, companies achieve faster time-to-market and broader user reach while optimizing development budgets.
Technology
E-commerce & Retail
Education & E-Learning
Logistics & Deliveries
Healthcare & Telemedicine
Transportation
Insurance
Financial Services & Fintech
Consumer & Industrial
Cross-Platform App Development Case Studies
Cross-Platform App Development FAQs
Is cross-platform as good as native development?
For 90% of mobile apps, yes. Modern cross-platform frameworks like React Native and Flutter deliver native-quality performance and user experience. The only scenarios requiring native development are graphics-intensive games, AR/VR applications, or apps needing bleeding-edge platform features on day one.
For business apps, social platforms, e-commerce, content delivery, and most enterprise use cases, cross-platform development provides excellent results with significant cost and time savings. Users cannot tell the difference between well-built cross-platform apps and native apps.
Should I choose React Native or Flutter?
Both frameworks are excellent—the choice depends on your team and requirements. Choose React Native if your team has JavaScript, TypeScript, or React experience, you need access to more third-party packages, or you prefer platform-native UI components.
Choose Flutter if you're starting fresh with no existing codebase, you need complex custom UI with animations, you want slightly better performance, or you plan to target web and desktop in addition to mobile. Our team can help you evaluate your specific situation and recommend the best framework. Many companies successfully use both frameworks for different projects.
How much does cross-platform app development cost?
Cross-platform development typically costs $60,000-$200,000, which is 30-40% less expensive than building separate native iOS and Android apps ($100,000-$300,000+). You get both platforms for roughly the cost of one native app. Final costs depend on app complexity, design requirements, custom features, backend infrastructure, and third-party integrations.
At Scrums.com, we offer transparent, usage-based pricing—you only pay for the developers, designers, and QA engineers you need each month. As a software development company with global talent, we provide 40-60% cost savings compared to US-based agencies. Visit our pricing page or contact us for a custom quote.
Will my cross-platform app perform as well as native?
Yes, for most use cases. Cross-platform apps built with React Native or Flutter achieve 95%+ of native performance. Modern frameworks compile to native code or use native components, resulting in fast, responsive applications. Performance is only a concern for graphics-intensive games, complex AR/VR, or apps with heavy computational requirements.
For standard business apps, social platforms, e-commerce, content apps, and enterprise tools, cross-platform performance is indistinguishable from native. We optimize for 60fps animations, sub-2-second startup times, and efficient memory usage.
Can cross-platform apps access device features like camera, GPS, and biometrics?
Yes, absolutely. Both React Native and Flutter provide access to all common device features including camera, GPS location, push notifications, biometric authentication (Face ID, Touch ID, fingerprint), accelerometer, Bluetooth, file storage, and more. Most features work through cross-platform libraries maintained by the framework communities.
When needed, we can write custom native modules in Swift/Kotlin to access platform-specific capabilities not yet available through cross-platform libraries. Device feature access is rarely a limitation for cross-platform development.
How long does cross-platform app development take?
Cross-platform development typically takes 8-12 weeks for simple apps and 6-12 months for complex enterprise applications. The timeline is 30-40% faster than building separate native iOS and Android apps sequentially because you're developing once instead of twice.
Typical processes include: Discovery and Framework Selection (1-2 weeks), Design and Prototyping (2-3 weeks), Development (6-12 weeks), Testing and Optimization (2-3 weeks), and Dual Platform Submission (1-2 weeks). You launch on both iOS and Android simultaneously instead of waiting months between platform releases.
What happens if I need to convert to native later?
While converting from cross-platform to native is possible, it's expensive and rarely necessary. Most apps never need to convert because React Native and Flutter continue improving and adding features. If your app significantly outgrows cross-platform capabilities (extremely rare, companies like Instagram and Airbnb run on React Native), you can rewrite in native Swift and Kotlin.
However, the vast majority of apps remain cross-platform throughout their lifecycle because the frameworks evolve with platform capabilities. Before committing to expensive rewrites, evaluate whether you're actually hitting framework limitations or if optimization would solve your issues.
Do you provide maintenance for cross-platform apps?
Yes, we provide comprehensive maintenance for React Native and Flutter applications including framework updates (both release major versions annually), OS compatibility updates for iOS and Android, dependency updates, bug fixes across platforms, performance optimization, security patches, and feature enhancements.
Maintaining one cross-platform codebase is significantly easier and more cost-effective than managing separate iOS and Android codebases. Our maintenance ensures your app stays current with platform changes, maintains high ratings on both app stores, and continues meeting user expectations. Learn more about our mobile app maintenance services.
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